Meet Dr. Julia Platt | Doctor of Chiropractic

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Julia Platt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Julia, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
There is this overall thought process that if you are starting a business, you have to work day and night and never sleep, and not take care of yourself during the process. You are told to never take days off, work until it’s done, never take breaks, and never sleep because you just have to. While I agree, that you have to absolutely work harder than you ever have, I do not agree with most of it. I think to add value and to be successful, you have to find somewhat of a balance. Learn to work as hard as you can while also taking breaks, getting sleep, and checking things off your to-do list little by little. It is a grind and it will be the hardest thing you’ll ever do. BUT with that I think it’s equally as important to take care of yourself in the process. You cannot pour from an empty cup. You cannot help people if you aren’t helping yourself. Don’t get me wrong, starting a business is WORK.. really HARD work, but for me, it is a non-negotiable to sleep, rest, and get up the next day and start again. When I first started, I was at my office setting up furniture, painting until 1 am, going around business to business to introduce myself, but at the same time, I took my rest days so I could rejuvenate myself and hit it harder the next day. Even to this day, I make sure to “turn off” the work mode and engage rest mode to spend time with things that are more important such as my family. A lot of people may not agree with this, but I think having a good work life balance is key to a happy and successful life. You can work extremely hard while also taking care of yourself at the same time.

What should our readers know about your business?
Elevate Spinal Care was founded on the passion that I have for caring and taking care of people to give them their life back. I learned a ton when I was an associate doctor, and I wanted to be able to replicate that care and service for the community on James Island and surrounding areas. I am most proud of how much my business and practice has grown since May of 2022. I am also proud of the community that has been created at my practice. I see my patients as family and treat them as so. When I first started, it was hard. I was on my own. I answered phones, marketed, saw patients, closed up for the day, etc. without any help. I was really wearing all of the hats. I eventually hired a chiropractic assistant and my team grew. As the team grew, the office grew. I was able to foster relationships with my staff that I will cherish forever and even made some great friends and relationships with them. I was able to learn about leadership, management style, how to deeply foster relationships with patients and my team and create purpose for their lives. My office manager and one of my other chiropractic assistants moved within a month of each other this past summer and both of them continued to work at chiropractic offices in their respected cities. I am so proud that the culture and environment that has been created at my practice made them want to continue in the field!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My husband and I are big food people. We usually stick to our favorites! We also are big beach people. So we’d likely start off the morning with a workout (of course), and then go to Ruby’s Bagels where we’d order the Rico Bagel on a Rosemary Salt. I would add caramelized onions to mine! We’d head off to Sullivans Island and make a beach day out of it. We love going to station 29 or 30, where there is a giant sandbar and can float in the water without the waves being too rough. After a long day of beaching, spikeball, and hanging out we’d likely go to Iggy’s Pizza and pick up some pizzas for dinner. We’d take those pizzas and some beverages out to Pitt Street Bridge to watch the sunset and play some board games out in front of the water!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
While I’ve had SO many people who have shaped me and helped me become the person and business woman I am today, I have to give a lot of credit to my mentor. Dr. Tron Malachowski is my mentor, a friend, and at one point was my boss! I met Dr. Tron in my first year of chiropractic school back in 2017. He would always take extra time with me training, working on mastering my craft, and even texted or called to check in on me while in school. In the last 9 months of chiropractic school he approached me at a seminar and told me there was a position opening up to be his associate doctor at his high volume practice in Summerville, SC. He truly took a chance on me as a young chiropractic student who knew nothing about business, running an office, or even how to manage patients clinically. I did an externship with him for 3 months and eventually started as his associate doctor in January 2020. Through my time with him I learned about leadership, how to manage patients, manage a team, and become the best version of myself possible. I learned more about myself in the time I was with him than I ever had in my young life up to that point. He taught me so many life skills and life lessons that I utilize every day in my own life. One of the things that I admire about Dr. Tron is that he emulates the life I want. he has an amazing family. He puts his children, wife and God first. I wanted that in a mentor. I wanted someone who had a successful practice but more importantly, had a sucessful and fulfiling life outside of that. I took so many of the skills I learned from him and implemented them into my own practice and my own life. He is truly the reason I am where I am.

Website: https://www.elevatespinalcare.com

Instagram: @elevatespinalcare

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